Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Sold on Sam's Club: NOT

We went to Sam's Club the other day and while we did find some good buys, I am not sure I am really sold on Sam's club by the time we factor in the $15 in gas for one trip and then the $40 membership fee.

It is certainly set up to entice the shopper to overspend in large quantities in the least amount of time. Many products are overpriced and the sample stations everywhere further encouraging buying when you taste the products. One of these sample stations had hubby putting a barbecue sandwich box into the cart!

Now granted I have never stepped foot in a warehouse store before, so we were very unorganized and not sure what to expect or what to buy. To top this off, it was a regular shopping day we needed as we were out of many things and did not have time to go to 2 stores on that day. We were exhausted due to a week of company with friends, adult daughter, family visits and our grand kids who stayed 4 days. This all contributed to way overspending yet quite the learning experience as well.

In the future I can see buying spices, the large frozen bags of fruit, toilet paper if a good buy and some large cans of certain things, oatmeal and perhaps some grains and pasta but beyond that, nothing really as everything else seemed to be cheaper at the local Walmarts.

I did get what seemed to be good buys on produce until we got them home and actually tasted them. They truly were awful, the oranges were tasteless, the grapes where tasteless AND dry! The plums were tasteless and going bad before they are even ripe.........YUCK, YUCK and YUCK! Never again will I buy fresh produce there! Horrible stuff yet gorgeous in appearance........totally misleading on what you get!

The best buy is truly the spices as our local Walmart sells spices in tiny tiny little things that cost as much as the bulk ones at Sam's club. If we combine this trip with other things we like to visit in that town 25 miles away then the gas won't be as bad either.

My verdict on Sam's Club? NOT IMPRESSED IN THE LEAST

3 comments:

  1. I agree.
    These warehouse clubs where you have to pay to buy things suck. They are so cavernous and hard to find things, My son has a card for
    Costco and I was not impressed with the prices. You need a really big family to get any savings on the big packages. I find my neighbourhood supermarket to be much more pleasant and cost effective, as well as easier on the gas.

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  2. Hi Carrie,
    Thanks for posting this. I sometimes feel like I'm missing out on some deals by not having a Costco or Sam's membership.

    Your post reminded me of why I don't. I cook almost exclusively from scratch, so I prefer to shop at a restaurant supply for bulk baking ingredients, beans, grains, oil and veggies like carrots, onions and potatoes. For really fresh produce, and good price, I have a favorite highway produce stand that I like (it just opened for the season late March). Everything is super fresh there, and reasonably priced. And if I ask, they let me sample something, so I can see if the taste is good.

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  3. Carrie, go back to Sam's Club with your receipt and tell them how bad everything was. They should give you your membership fee back. If you call them first and talk to the manager, that might help also. No Costco near you? They take back everything. No questions asked. You must be exhausted from all the company. Take a rest. Ann

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